‘Twilight’ Director Says Studio Gave Her a “Mini Cupcake” After Film’s Box Office Success

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Catherine Hardwicke openly discusses the varying ways male and female filmmakers are perceived and treated within the Hollywood industry.

In a recent conversation with The Guardian, the director of Twilight reminisced about the present she received from the film’s producers, Summit Entertainment, after the unexpected success of the movie starring Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson at the box office. Initially, Summit expected the film to make a minimum of $30 million, but Twilight ended up earning an astonishing $408.4 million globally instead.

Upon entering the room filled with presents, everyone was celebrating the studio’s success, and I received a box as well. Upon opening it, I discovered a small cupcake inside.

Instead, she noted that after a hit film, male directors could potentially receive benefits such as a new car, multiple film contracts, or having significant creative freedom.

In her professional journey, Hardwicke came to understand the unvarnished realities of filmmaking rather swiftly. “No,” she acknowledged, “there’s not a high demand for female directors in the industry. They won’t offer you another chance to excel.” She described this revelation as a profound and startling awakening from the very beginning.

In the Twilight saga, a single filmmaker was responsible for directing only the 2008 installment – that being Red Riding Hood. For the remaining movies, such as New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn Part 1, and Part 2, male directors like Chris Weitz, David Slade, and Bill Condon took charge of the directorial duties instead.

Back in 2023, Hardwicke admitted to The Hollywood Reporter that she decided to direct just the initial ‘Twilight’ film because she had the greatest inspiration and vision for the first book, not necessarily the subsequent ones.

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In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in 2023, marking the 15th anniversary of Twilight, Hardwicke shared that her motivation to direct only the first movie stemmed from her strong inspiration and visualization for the initial book, not so much for the later ones.

She mentioned that it was an honor for her to portray a love reminiscent of an addictive substance, providing an intense high that leaves one exhilarated, within the film that continues to captivate audiences even to this day.

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2025-07-09 06:54